CupClash: Interactive Beer Pong Robot

CupClash was a project from the very first module of my bachelor, and honestly, I don’t really consider it that ‘academic’, hence I didn’t put it in that section 😅 We created a beer pong robot that randomly lights up its cups red and green, and the gameplay mechanic was simple but effective: hit a red cup and it moves further away and becomes more agitated (making it harder), hit a green cup and it moves closer and calms down (making it easier).

The Concept

The idea was to make beer pong more interactive and unpredictable. Instead of just aiming at static cups, players had to adapt their strategy based on the colours. The robot used an Arduino for all the logic, after each cup hit, it would change the colours of the remaining cups and always made sure there was at least one green cup available so the game never became impossible.

Hardware Design

The body combined 3D printed and laser cut parts. We used plywood for the main structure. The top consisted of multiple 3mm plywood layers plus one 4mm layer for extra strength where the cups sit. The wheels were laser cut from 6mm plywood layers.

The back wheels were motorised and sat in custom wooden blocks with 25mm holes drilled to fit the motors. The front wheel was just for stability, mounted with a long screw and bolts but loose enough to turn freely. Covers for the wheels were printed so it had enough grip to move freely.

Electronics and Programming

An Arduino Mega controlled everything: 6 RGB LEDs (one per cup), 6 buttons to detect cup hits, motors for movement, a buzzer for feedback, and an ultrasonic sensor so it wouldn’t drive off the table. Each LED needed resistors to prevent burnout, and we used an H-bridge to control the motor directions.

The programming logic was pretty straightforward but effective.

When a button was pressed (cup hit), the Arduino would check the current colour, move the robot accordingly, then randomise the remaining cup colours while ensuring at least one green option stayed available.

Results

I really enjoyed this project since it combined hardware design with coding for the software. It was satisfying to see all the different components (mechanical, electrical, and software) come together into something that actually worked and was fun to play with.

Looking back, it was a great introduction to how complex systems can be built from simple components. Plus, it taught me that even “academic” projects can be way more engaging when there’s an element of play involved.